The Story Teller...

Hello friends...

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Today I'm so happy to sharing the first of my Creativation 2020 makes for Tim Holtz. It's been a busy few weeks of making, but I've had so much fun and over the coming weeks, I'll have plenty of inspiration to share with you all, including projects for Stampers Anonymous, Ranger Ink, idea-ology and of course, Sizzix which includes, this particular project made using dies from the Chapter 1 release, available and shipping now. Don’t forget that if you missed Tim’s Facebook Live showing this amazing release and all the fabulous projects, then you can catch up with it here!

To begin with I'm going to walk you through some of the processes that I used to create this piece using my favourite dies from the release, Retro Type, Tiny Type and the amazing Heartbeat and show you how I combined these dies to make a piece of home decor using a vignette tray which was inspired by a quote from the author Nicolas Sparks ~ "every great love starts with a great story".

What I particularly want to do in this tutorial is concentrate on the techniques that I used to create the typewriter and the Heartbeat, both of which began life as a piece of boring old chipboard.

I started by using the smaller sized Vignette Tray, covering the raw edges of the tray with Humidor Design Tape and then covering the front, back and sides of the tray ~ inside and out with papers from the Dapper Paper Stash.

I particularly love how the ruler paper looks on the back of the tray, it's just perfect. I also added Crackle Paste to both the outside....

...and the inside of the tray, applying it directly over the top of the paper. To add the ageing to the crackle paste, I used Distress Crayons ~ Walnut Stain and Black Soot and then applied a touch of Rusty Hinge Distress Paint and Vintage Photo Distress Crayon to add a touch of rust, which you can just see on the inside of the tray in the photo below.

Inside the box you'll notice that there's a little shelf for the typewriter to sit on and this is made from one of the Pinked Etcetera Trims that I cut down to size so that it would fit across the box. After painting the strip using a combination of Ground Espresso and Black Soot Distress Paints to create the look of dark wood, I attached the shelf inside the tray with Matte Collage Medium.

Now for those dies and let's start with the Heartbeat die...

After die cutting the heart from a square of chipboard that was slightly larger in size than the heart itself, I placed all of the pieces in front of me on my glass mat ~ don't throw anything away as you will be placing the heart section back into the die cut once they are painted. I now want to add the colour, and used Candied Apple Distress Paint to colour the heart pieces. I then dry brushed the surface with Black Soot Distress Paint and set these aside to dry.

For the background the heart, I wanted to create a rusty patina to the surface of the chipboard and painted the chipboard with black gesso. I then started layering my Distress Paints, Evergreen Bough, Ground Espresso, Black Soot, Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo. I apply each layer of paint individually, using the dry brushing technique to add colour. Just dip your paint brush into the paint, wipe away the excess on a towel and then just gently allow the brush to paint the colour across the surface of black gessoed chipboard. Remember to dry the paint layers between each application.

Once I was happy with the background colour, I matted it onto black chipboard and placed a Hardware Head into each corner, making them a little rusty in appearance with some Rusty Hinge and Ground Espresso Distress Paint.

Place the red heart pieces back into the die and attach with adhesive. For the heartbeat, I cut this from gold metallic kraft stash, running the die through my machine again and snipping away the heartbeat from the main part of the die cut.

After aging the metallic kraft stash with a little Mushroom Alcohol Ink, I attached it to my the die cut, placing it directly over the top of the existing heartbeat that is attached to the die.

I mounted the die cut heart into the top section of the tray, using foam pads and then took a Pen Nib, which I aged with the same colours of Distress Paint that I used on the background of the heart and placed this in the centre of the heart. I also used the Tiny Type die to cut the number 14 from gold metallic kraft stash and attached this.

Now we move onto the Retro Type die. This is a Bigz die so that means it will cut through a thicker substrate and allows me to layer my individual chipboard die cuts to create one substantial die cut image that once placed in the tray will stand alone. The die comes in two sections which are layered together and I began by cutting four layers of larger section of the die from chipboard. I layered 3 of the chipboard die cuts using Matte Collage Medium, keeping back the fourth, which is going to be placed on top. I then cut one smaller section from chipboard.

After painting all the chipboard pieces with gesso to prime them, I started adding colour. To begin with I took the larger die cut piece and the second smaller die cut piece, that will sit over the top the layered section and using a very fine detail paint brush, I handpainted the main key section of the typewriter with 2 coats of Candied Apple Distress Paint. Once the paint is thoroughly dry, I dry brushed the surface with Black Soot Distress Paint, which knocks back the brightness of the red and creates more of a vintage feel. For the paper roller section at the top of the die cut, I used Black Soot and Brushed Pewter Distress Paint. Set this to one side.

Taking the layered solid key section die cut, I painted this with Black Soot Distress Paint and once again, once the paint was dry, I used Brushed Pewter Distress Paint, which I dry brushed over the top. I then cut a small piece of silver metallic paper stash, and placed this over the keys on the bottom section of the layered painted die cut. Take the remaining pieces of die cuts and attach these over the top of the layered die cut. Ink around the edges of the die with Black Soot Distress Crayon, blending out the colour with a damp fingertip and if you need to tidy up any of the paintwork, or fill in spots that might have been missed, this is the time to do it! You can see how I layered the pieces in the photo below and also see the metallic elements that sit behind the keys and the top section of the typewriter.

Once the die and the adhesive is set, I pounced the Versamark Embossing Ink Pad over the entire surface of the painted die cut and then sprinkled it with clear embossing powder. Tap away the excess and then heat emboss the die cut. Allow to cool and then repeat with a layer of clear embossing ink and a layer of clear embossing powder. Heat emboss once more and it will create a beautiful glossy finish to the typewriter.

Using plain copy paper, I typed out the quote on my computer and cut the paper to size so that it would fit into the typewriter. I inked the paper with a little Old Paper Distress Ink and then placed it into the typewriter, securing it at the back of the die cut. 

Using a layer of foam pads, I attached the typewriter into the tray, placing it onto the shelf and slightly overlapping the heartbeat die cut that is above it. To complete the typewriter I attached a small star adornment.

We're nearly there and all that was left for me to do was add the Mini Hardware Pull, complete with Clippings Sticker to tell the story of the Story Teller...

...and then add a handle at the top. I used a Faucet Knob that I aged to create a rusty patina effect using the same paints as I used on the background of Heartbeat Die.

I hope you've loved how I created this Vignette Tray and enjoyed the process of how the piece came together using Distress Paints to create the colour to the die cut elements and add some vintage flair to the project.

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today and I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Tim, Paula and Mario for their continued support and for asking me to be a part of Creativation 2020 and join them on their amazing creative adventure! 

Hope to see you again soon, love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Tim Holtz/Sizzix: Retro Type, Heartbeat, Alphanumeric Tiny Type Upper  
Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous: Pinked Etcetera Trims
Distress Paint: Ground Espresso, Black Soot, Evergreen Bough, Antiqued Bronze, Candied Apple, Brushed Pewter, Vintage Photo
Distress Crayons: Walnut Stain

Tim Holtz Idea-ology: Hardware Heads, Mini Hardware Pulls, Clippings Stickers, Pen Nibs, Faucet Knob, Humidor Design Tape, Vignette Tray, Star Adornments
Alcohol Inks: Mushroom

Mediums: Matte Collage Medium, Crackle Paste, Clear Embossing Powder
Surfaces: Metallic Kraft Stash, Mixed Media Heavystock, Dapper Paper Stash, Chipboard
Glass Media Mat

Heat Gun
Big Shot

Make A Wish...

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to pop by today to say a huge thank you to everyone who commented on my first tutorial over on Tim Holtz's blog as a member of the Tim Holtz Media Team. I've been blown away by all the lovely comments you've left me on Tim's blog, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and I really do appreciate every single word! :) Thank you!!!

So, back to today and I'm sharing a couple of cards that I made using the gorgeous By The Sea paper collection from Graphic 45. I was thrilled to have these featured on the front cover of the August issue of Making Cards Magazine, where I also included full instructions on how to make them.

I hope you love what I've made...

On this card, as you can see, I did quite a bit of fussy cutting to create the collection of seashells along the bottom. It does take a while but it creates wonderful embellishments for your cards.

With the exception of the matting and layering card, vintage ribbon, decorative pins and driftwood...all items are from the By The Sea paper collection by Graphic 45.

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Have a wonderful weekend and see you next week...love Emma xx

Happy Easter...

Hello everyone...

It's a flying visit from me today to wish all my lovely friends and followers, new and old....a very Happy Easter!! Thank you so much for supporting me and my work during the first few months of 2014!! There's been a few changes to design teams since the start of the year and I'm really enjoying the wonderful new journey that I'm on, I'm having an absolute blast but...I couldn't do any of this without all my blogging buddies who make all the hard work so worthwhile. I really do appreciate all the lovely comments that you leave me and I can't wait to get to know all my new followers...

I also wanted to take the opportunity to share a card that I created for Easter using the gorgeous Graphic 45 Sweet Sentiments paper collection, and that was featured in the April issue of Making Cards Magazine. As always, there's lots of photos for you to see all the detail of this project and you can buy back issues of the magazine, to see how I created it! So, I hope you enjoy looking at this piece, as much as I enjoyed making it!!

As I mentioned the papers and stamped message are from the Sweet Sentiments collection and I used Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals die from Sizzix to create those spring blooms.

...and the Easter Egg opens up to reveal a pocket and a message label for you to write your message on.

Thank you so much for stopping by today and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and that the Easter Bunny leaves you all lots of choccies!!

See you all on Monday for my latest Simon Says Stamp project...happy weekend!!

Love Emma xxx

Easter Greetings ~ Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Hello everyone...

Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend and ready for the start of a new week.

Today, is the start of a brand new challenge over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog and this week's challenge is "NO RULES"!! Yes, there are no rules and you can create anything you like and we would love it if you would join in with this week's challenge and the whole team can't wait to see what you make.

...and this, is what I made. An Easter box which is full of chocolate from the Easter Bunny!! As always, I hope you love what I've made.

Now let's begin and tell you how I made it...

To start with I created a drawer box using a heavyweight card stock. The outside of the box is approximately 15.5 x 12cm in size and 2.5cm deep. The actual drawer that fits inside, is made slightly smaller so that it slides in and out easily. I then attached pieces of greyboard to the top and the bottom, cut slightly larger than the finished box, so that this would make it substantial before giving the entire box and the drawer a coat of gesso and then, a coat of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Nougat paint.

Once the box was dry, I aged the edges with Walnut Stain Distress ink. Now comes the fun bit, I need to start decorating it and for this I used the stunning Sweet Sentiments paper pad from Graphic 45. I cut pieces of the paper to cover each of the three sides on the outside of the box and a piece for the top and attached all the paper with Mod Podge. I then covered the inside and the front of the drawer with more paper from the pad. 

Once all my box was covered, I then gave it a coat of Mod Podge to seal it. So that I could open the drawer easily, I attached a Idea-ology drawer pull onto the front covered section and added a Chit Chat sticker label.

Now to decorate the top and for this, I used the Sizzix Easter Elements die from Tim Holtz to die cut two pieces of chipboard, which I then glued together to make one complete and very substantial bunny. I painted the bunny with an Espresso Brown paint dabber and then tied a piece of vintage ribbon around his neck.

I then needed to create a little garden for him to sit in and for this I used the Tapered Fringe die to die cut green Bazzill card which I quilled and shaped to give me five individual sprigs of grass. I added some Walnut Stain ink to the ends of the grass before moving onto the flowers. 

The flowers are all created using Tim's Mini Tattered Florals die and coloured with Distress Inks before being layered together and then shaped to make these dimensional blooms. I used an old snowflake die from my stash to create the stamens in the centre and then added an enamel dot to each. 

I then arranged the grass and flowers onto the top of my box, placing the bunny in the centre and adding some cheesecloth which I dyed using Peeled Paint Distress Stain.

I used the Mini Movers and Shapers Butterfly die to die cut some of the papers from the Sweet Sentiments pad, layered the die cuts together to create dimensional butterflies and then added pearls down the centre of each. I then attached them to coils of wire so that it would give the appearance of them in flight and attached them onto my box, placing them amongst the foliage, together with an Easter message cut from the pad, attached with a Memo Pin. As a finishing touch, I used oval pearls, which looked like small Easter eggs and attached these in each of the four corners of the box.

Finally, I added a stand for the whole box to sit on and made this with a cardboard tube which started life as the inside of the kitchen towel. I covered the tube with paper from the pad and then attached it to the centre on the bottom of my box.

Last but by no means least, you need to now fill that drawer with chocolates!!!

So, I really hope you've loved what I've created for Easter and for more great ideas and inspiration, then you need to look no further than the blog to see all the wonderful creations from my very talented Design Team members and every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. Good luck....

Products used:

Tim Holtz Sizzix Easter Elements Die

Tim Holtz Sizzix Mini Tattered Florals Die

Tim Holtz Sizzix Mini Butterflies Die

Tim Holtz Sizzix Tapered Fringe Die

Distress Stain ~ Peeled Paint

Distress Inks ~ Walnut Stain, Shaded Lilac, Wild Honey and Spiced Marmalade

Ranger Adirondack Paint Dabber Espresso Brown

Easter Grass Green Bazzill Card

Graphic 45 ~ Sweet Sentiments 8" x 8" Paper Pad

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paint ~ Nougat

Idea-Ology ~ Memo Pins, Label Pulls, Seasonal Chit Chat Stickers

MME ~ Heirloom Enamel Dots

Mod Podge

Seam binding, greyboard, chipboard, cheesecloth, pearls and cardstock from my own stash

Thank you so much for all your visits today and I'll see you all very soon!!

Bye for now...love Emma xx

Couture...

"A Girl Should Be Two Things: Classy and Fabulous" -Coco Chanel

Hello everyone...

Hope you're all enjoying the welcome sunshine and having a great week!

Before I share today's post, I just wanted to say hello to my new followers and welcome aboard and to also thank everyone who has been commenting on my Simon Says Stamp projects ~ you've all been so kind and I've been thrilled to read all your lovely comments which have meant so much to me!!

So, back to today's post and this card is one that I made for Making Cards Magazine and was featured in the March issue, where I wrote full instructions of how I made it and also shared a template for the card. As always, I hope you love what I've made using products from one of my favourite companies ~ Graphic 45!

As soon as I saw this collection, I just knew I had to have it...as some of you know, I adore vintage fashion illustrations and put this together with beautiful background images depicting such style and glamour and a quote from the Queen of fashion, Coco Chanel....it was a must ~ I needed it!!!!

Lots of close up detail of the inside pop out section.

...and I added a bit of glamour by using feathers, a decorative pin and a gorgeous jewelled stud!

Thank you so much for stopping by today and I can't wait to read all your comments!

See you soon...love Emma xxx

Steampunk Spells...

Hello friends...

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and for all those who watched Downton Abbey last night...ooo, did you love it as much as me?? I can't wait for the next episode!! Other than my weekend TV-fest, I've been beavering away at Chez Williams' and over that last couple of weeks, I've got plenty of new projects that I can show you very soon...so, watch this space!! And of course, today is the start of Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry 102 which I'm so excited about. I've already had a quick look at Day 1 and what we have in store for us throughout the week and I definitely can't wait to get started!!

But in the meantime, I wanted to share a special little project that I've been working on using the gorgeous Steampunk Spells papers from one of my favourite companies, Graphic 45. There's a lot of work in this piece, so...that means one thing and one thing only, lots of piccies to browse through!! Right, without further ado, I hope you enjoy my Steampunk Spells dressing table...

I always forget to photograph my projects in their early stages and this one would have been perfect to show you from scratch but I will tell you this started life as a chocolate box from Tesco, which I cut the front off to give me a drawer section, stuck the top of the box to the bottom of the box, covered it all in scrunched up tissue paper to add texture, added a chipboard top and bottom, cotton spool legs and then painted the whole thing black!

You'd think that was the hard part done but no, I needed to make a drawer to fit in the box and to get those measurements perfect wasn't easy!! But after a lot of turning the air blue, it finally worked and ta-dah...I had my basic little drawer unit.

Now, all I needed to do was add lots of gorgeous halloween bits and pieces and for that part, I'll leave it to my photos to do the talking...but I think you'll spot some fab Idea-ology pieces, a few Sizzix die cuts and all mixed up with a few other goodies from Steampunk Spells!!

The one thing that I couldn't pick up very well on camera was the liquid pouring out of the little vial but I think you can just about see it in the photo above.

Well, I really hope you loved this piece as much as I loved making it. I just wish you could see it all in person because there is just so much detail that maybe the photos can't do justice!!

Thank you all for visiting today and I can't wait to read all your comments. See you soon with another little creation and hope you all have a fabulous evening!

Bye for now...love Emma xxx